Meath Style Awards Shortlist: Facing off for the Best Make-up Artist award
Creating bespoke looks to reflect a bride's own style and personality
Stylicious, Ratoath
Tell us about your business and team
After many years in working in IT and Insurance, Marina O’Callaghan took the leap and turned her passion for Makeup, Skin and creativity into her dream job. In 2015, Marina’s gorgeous daughter helped her pick the name for her brand, Stylicious. While based in Ratoath, Marina is a freelance artist who will travel to clients on their special day. After years of training and finding her style and niche, she now specialises in Bridal and Occasion Makeup and styling - being part of one of the most important days in a girl’s life is so special, creating bespoke looks to reflect a Bride’s own personal style and personality, bringing their bridal vision to life so they are the best version of themselves.
Describe the best thing about your service
I will always chat with a client in advance and get a feel for who they are and their own personal style. The look I create for a client is bespoke and unique to them. I have many clients who would rarely wear makeup so I will work with them to ensure we get it just right. Creating the perfect makeup look, whether natural and minimal or a little more glam, can really help a client feel more confident. I love to share helpful tips and advice, so my client goes away learning something new as well as feeling amazing.
What's the best business advice you've ever been given?
To believe in myself and not to compare myself to other artists. And in January and February to pop a weekly note in the diary to relax about bookings as they will come.
What does the future hold for your business?
I hope that I will do more live demos/master classes to large groups, while continuing my one-2-one lessons. Also to develop and enhance my social media presence and collaborate and network with more amazing Irish business women.
A philosophy to naturally transform clients with confidence and an air of perfection
Nicola Weldon Makeup, Kilcock
Tell us about your business and team
Nicola Weldon Makeup is a freelance makeup service specialising in Bridal makeup. Nicola is a one-woman show who set up her business almost seven years ago. After many years of toying with the idea and working in IT, Nicola eventually took the plunge. Today, Nicola considers herself lucky and privileged to have so many occasional, celebratory and wedding events under her belt within this short space of time and that clients, celebrities and brides have put their trust in her on one of the most memorable, important days of their lives. Makeup for Nicola is always about enhancing natural beauty, rather than masking it. There are generally no rules or boundaries with makeup and with the right base, the possibilities are endless. Being a freelance makeup artist, her philosophy within this industry is to empower, enhance and naturally transform clients with confidence and an air of perfection as if they have just stepped out of a glossy wedding magazine
Describe the best thing about your service
I like to provide a safe and calm space for each of my clients. Making sure that as soon as I greet them, (always with a hug) that I empower them in my chair and make them feel their absolute best, so when they leave they have an unforgettable experience. For me, listening is the most important thing I can do. Without that you can’t gauge your client’s wants and needs. If you can’t do that, the beauty of word of mouth too will soon impact the business. I like to treat each client as if they are a good friend and in turn most of them generally turn out to be just that
What’s the best business advice you’ve ever been given?
It’s probably not business advice, but it’s something I hold very dear to my heart: “Always be kind.” I feel this has always been my way. On this journey of business you will always be kind and you will have people who love you and people who hate you. But kindness always wins, and you attract your tribe. So the clients I attract to my business are my kind of people and this is how you build a community. I might be a one woman show but the connections I have built even with other artists fundamentally helps me and my business to grow.
What does the future hold for your business?
I always say, the sky is the limit. So for me and the future of the business I want to be able to balance work and home life better. Also to choose quality over quantity and saying yes to more opportunities that scare me.
A bride's make-up journey made enjoyable, calm and memorable
AK Artistry
Tell us about your business
AK Artistry is run by Meath based Amy Kelly - a professional Irish makeup artist specialising in bridal and occasional makeup. Amy is passionate about make-up and helping to make someone feel their best on any special occasion.
Amy considers it a privilege to spend time with a bride and bridal party on the morning of such an important day in a bride’s life and she wants to make this make-up journey enjoyable, calm and memorable while making the bride feel special.
Describe the best thing about your service
Amy loves seeing the smile on everyone’s face when they look in the mirror. It is wonderful to make people feel like their best self and seeing the beauty within them that they wouldn’t have seen before and just enhancing their natural beauty.
What’s the best business advice you’ve ever been given?
Make sure that you absolutely adore your job and then it will never really feel like work. Also to give it 110%, which will show in your work.
What does the future hold for your business?
I’d love to be a full-time bridal artist and eventually maybe by destination, so travelling around Europe, which might be being optimistic, but you have to dream big.
- The 2024 Meath Style Awards in association with Specsavers take place in the Headfort Arms Hotel this Friday (June 7th)